Steel and Fire
by mumfordandshannon
Summary: Lyanna Stark had a child, a child Ned Stark and King Robert swore to protect. What happens when Lyanna's daughters protectors die and her life is put at risk. This follows the events before and after King Roberts death. Eventual Gendry/OC. I own nothing other than Lyanna's daughter.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Eddard looked at his sister: his face a flood with emotion. There was his best friend Robert perched on the side of the bed squeezing Lyanna's hand: Ned had never seen Robert look so focused. They both knew at the end of this there would be a body to bury. Lyanna turned her head to look straight at Ned.

"Brother- Come. There is business to discuss" She said weakly.

Ned perched on the other side of his sister, her hand reached for his. She looked so young. It was Ned's job to protect her and he had failed. He had failed as a brother and as a soldier- silent tears ran down his cheek. Lyanna reached up wiping them from his cheek.

"We know that I do not have long to live" Lyanna said, no sign of fear in her voice "The old gods tell me this is my time. Before I depart this world however I ask both of you to fulfil two dying wishes. First I wish to be buried in Winterfell "

"Lyanna, my sweetheart, you'll be ok. This is just a fever from the southern sun nothing more." Robert mumbled through tears and sobs

Lyanna shot him a look and soon after his mumbling stopped, she then turned to Ned who simply nodded waiting to hear the rest.

"I will give birth to this child… It will be your duties to ensure that they are protected and safe at all times. That they have a family. No one must know of her father. They will remain in Winterfell with Ed. Robert you must swear to me that you will let no one harm my baby- the last living piece of me"

Robert hesitated, looking away from Lyanna. Ned could practically hear his mind working trying to way up the pro's and con's of the demand Lyanna had made. He turned his face stern to look at Lyanna. The minute his eyes met with hers the stern look faded. "Damn you woman. You'll be the death of me." He laughed before clearing his throat "I swear by the old gods and the new that your child shall remain protected by me until my dying day."

Lyanna squeeze his hand. Sweat beads were now running down her forehead her brow furrowed in pain. "They don't plan on waiting much longer" she laughed her hand stroking her stomach, "And you my brother, do you swear to give my child a home? Do you promise she will be loved and that no one other than your lady wife will know of her father? Do you promise to raise her as a high born? Allow her all the experiences we have had?"

"By the old gods and the new, I swear it, Sister"

Lyanna smiled before letting out and agonising scream. Before he could process it Ned and Robert were been pushed out by the Septa and mid-wifes, his mind a blaze with fears.

Eddard took the squealing bundle in his arms, she fell silent at his touch, he looked down at the child. Studying her. Her hair was resembled that of most the Starks, a dark brown that could easily be mistaken for black, her eyes however where the give away of which houses she came from. Although they were grey even a blind man could not miss the flecks of violet that danced around her pupil. The more Ned looked at her the more he could see her father. Silver strands of her danced underneath the dark brown and her skin was almost as silver as those strands. His fears were just about to surface when the child grabbed at his beard pulling down on it. Ed smiled, this was his blood. He had made an oath and a man of honour keeps those oaths regardless of how crazy they are. He felt the Septa's eyes burning into him. He glanced up to meet her eyes and did not even have to ask.

"My sister is dead" was all he could manage to muster. The Sepeta nodded opening her mouth as if to say something but was cut short by Robert.  
"That bastarding bitch killed my Lyanna" Robert sobbed pointing his sword at the child in Ned's arms "I'll kill it"

Ned held the baby closer "You will do nothing of the sort Robert. You promised my Sister no harm would come to her child. And my the gods be merciful if you break your vow to the woman you claimed to love"

Robert paused, looking at the child. "No harm will come to her. Just to her father." With that Robert swung around and marched out the door leaving Ned to make arrangements for his new niece.


	2. Chapter 2

**15 Years Later**

"I'll wring her neck myself, Ned. That's the fifth sewing lesson with Septa she has missed. No wonder Arya has turned out the way she has." Catelyn Stark moaned as she rushed down the stairs "On the day that the Royal Party are arriving. You know she's more like you sister than people think, wild, unpredictable but yet somehow you seem to forgive her in the blink of an eye"

"She's only a child, Cat" Ned sighed waling behind his now flustered wife.

"You. Jon. Here now. Chop chop" Catelyn shouted pointing at Ned's bastard boy. "I know you know where she is, so tell me right this minute or so help me gods…"

"Riding in the woods, my lady" Jon answered "said she had to think"

"And you found it acceptable to allow a young woman to enter the woods herself? Just as well you are not a high born, they would have more manners" Catelyn spat.

Ned physically cringed at the insult that his wife had thrown at his bastard son before patting Jon on the shoulder as Cat turned on her heel towards the wood. Ned took one step before he heard the noise of a rider and their horse. Sure enough, out came his beautiful niece riding the horse he had gotten her on her last name day. Her the silver in her hair shone in the sun as she jumped off her horse, to reveal she was wearing breeches and a ill-fitting shirt.

"Ada Stark you trot yourself over here right now" Catelyn screeched. Ada's head sank knowing she was in trouble she glanced up at her uncle who couldn't help but smile. "The royal family is due at any moment and you take this as your opportunity to go for a ride? Look at the state of you, here let me"

Cat licked her finger before trying to smudge away some of the dirt that appeared to be embedded in Ada's skin.

"Sorry Aunt, I had to get my head straight. I shall return the horse to the stables immediately before going and getting ready for our royal visit."

"There's a good child. I'm sure your uncle shall accompany you to the stable and tell you how you are expected to behave in front of the royal family while I go find my other little runaway." Catelyn said kissing the top of Ada's head.

Ned approached his niece wishing he could tell her off but every time he looked at her he saw Lyanna's beauty and mischief staring right back at him. He placed his arm around Ada's neck taking the reigns of her horse in the other.

"How many kills today then?" Ned asked

Ada's face lit up and her mischief smirk returned, "Three crows, a deer and a badger. I was heading to the kitchen to hand them in before Aunt Cat stopped me"

"You know you really need to learn to behave like a Lady. For all that your mother was mischievous she knew that duty would always come first. One day I will betroth you to a great knight or to a lord and they will not stand for a lady so unlady like" Ned said turning his niece to look at him. She appeared to be thinking as she bit her bottom lip her eyes a thousand miles away.

"If they cannot accept me, breeches and all, then they do not deserve me." Ada said her hair falling in front of her eyes as she looked up at her Uncle.

Ned rolled his eyes squeezing his neices shoulders "I'm starting to fear no one will be worthy. Now run along and get ready. If you see Arya help her"

**-**  
Ada ran the brush through her young cousins wet her attempting to remove all the tugs that a day out in the woods could create, before twisting and turning it in to a loose northern braid. She leaned over her cousin looking at her in the mirror.

"Now Arya, don't we look like pretty young ladies" Ada said sticking her tongue out at the sulking Arya.

"I don't see why we need to get so dressed up. There coming to our home, they should have to dress up for us." Arya pulled at her dress, itching the skin underneath.

"Now now, my little snowflake, what have I told you. It is our duty to be pretty, our duty to represent the females of this house. We may not like it, but its only for a little while. Only till the Royal Party leaves- then it'll be back to swords and arrows for us." Ada smiled straightening out her own dress, at that very moment the bells signalling the approach of King Robert rang. "Hurry downstair young one. Do not stray far from my side or your mother will have my head"

"Lyanna" Robert mouthed approaching the young girl, holding her face in his hand. He stood their holding her eyes for a few moments before he seemed to remember. "It is her bastard. How much you look like your mother. Like a proper northern-born" Robert laughed. Ada looked shocked, but mainly angry. No one had ever called her a bastard. Her name was Ada Stark, she was a highborn lady, after Robb she held the title to Winterfell. Yet here was this fat oaf calling her a bastards. She felt Jon's hand on her shoulder as she leaned back allowing pressing her weight against his chest- his touch soothing her. Robert had quickly moved on speaking to Ned about crypts and visiting her mother. Jon leaned down to Ada's ear

"Are you ok?"

She nodded silently afraid that her voice may break and give her away. Jon reassuring squeezed her shoulder before trotting off to join the boys for some sword practice. Ada focused her attention now on the queen who was standing in front of her.

"Your Grace" Ada said, curtsying gracefully.

"Well aren't you a pretty little bird. And so much like your mother I hear." The queen said looking Ada up and down "What is your name girl?"

"Ada, your grace" Ada said looking the queen in the eyes, there was something untrustworthy lingering below those emerald eyes.

"Meaning noble. Rather ironic" the queen laughed.

"How so, your Grace" Ada questioned. It was up for her Aunt Cat to save her after she openly questioned the queen

"Won't you join us for some tea your grace?" Catlyn asked leading the way to the dining hall

"It would be my pleasure" The queen stated her eyes never leaving Ada.

"It does not do her justice Ned" Robert said staring at the stone carving of Lyanna. "She was far more beautiful. There isn't a day I don't dream about killing the swine"

"You did, my grace" Ned stated

"Aye, but I do it every night in my dreams and it's still not enough to bring back my Lyanna"  
"My Grace, she would not be pleased with the way you treated her daughter. My niece may be a bastard but she carries the name Stark and is treated as a highborn as Lyanna requested. An oath we both swore" Ned stated his eyes resting on his sisters statue.

"You're right. But that bloody fair-haired woman that I'm married to would not have been pleased with me giving her a warm welcome either. I presume you know why I am here, Ned. I will name you Hand of the King."

"Your Grace…"

"Stop with the "Your Grace" shit."

"Robert, there are men better suited to the position than I am."

"It's you or Jamie Lannister. Pick wisely Ned"

"The Kingslayer, you know what happened to the last King he served so closely?" Ned looked in his old friends eyes before dropping to his knee. "I Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North here by accept the position of Hand of the King. I agree to protect and serve the King, I swear it by the old god and the new."

"Stand. I have another proposition. We were meant to be brothers Ned, now is our opportunity to tie our families once more. You have Lyanna's daughter and I have a son. Lets have them married."

"I'm afraid Ada is not ready for marriage Robert, she is still untamed."

"Then your daughter, Sansa, she's quite the little lady will marry my son on her first blood"

"I didn't have a choice Cat!" Ned shouted

"You did have a choice Ned. And you chose. You chose Robert over me and your children."

"There is something else. Robert wishes to marry Sansa to Joffery."

"He plans to take not only my husband by my child away as well." Cat stated.

Ned encircled his arms around Cat. Holding her tight. "You can deal with Robert's wrath. But it is my duty and a man with no honour to his duty is not a man at all"

Cat turned round holding her husband in her arms, "I'll go out there and say "Your grace, you fat oaf you took my husband once and I am not going to let you take him again"

Ned laughed pulling his lady onto the bed below them kissing her passionately. There was an urgent knock at their chamber door. Maester Luwin entered looking somewhat worried,

"My lady, a letter from The Vale. I believe it is from you sister"

Cat stood up immediately. She scanned the letter not reading it aloud before throwing it in the fire.

"You must go to Kings Landing Ned. The King is in grave danger. My sister believe John Aryn was murdered. Take all the girls, I will stay here and help rule Winterfell. The bastard goes with you."  
**-**

Jon paced back and forth running his hand through his hair nervously before knocking loudly on the door. Ada called so sweetly her voice like honey in tea permitting his entrance.

"Hello Jon" she smiled without so much as glancing over her shoulder  
"How did you know it was me?"

"I've heard you breathing and mumbling outside my door for the last half hour" she said turning to look at her cousin.

"I'm leaving for the wall at dawn, when you leave for Kings Landing" Jon's head fell afraid of what she may look like now. There was complete silence as Ada brushed by him to shut the door.

"Your leaving me…" that was all she could say. Her voice was weak, cracked with emotion. She held on to the door knob for support.

"There is not a place for a bastard here" Jon said looking at her. He took a step forward engulfing her in his arms. "I swore to protect you. I will protect you. When ever you need me just think of me and I will guide you. I will always be with you."

"Jon…" Ada sobbed into his chest, clutching to him as if her life depended on it. She tilted her head up allowing her lips to softly brush against his, bringing her hand up to tangle within his hair, her lips moved from his mouth to his neck biting and nipping at it. Jon let out a sigh his hands slinking down her waist, holding her hips at peace.

"This… We are not right" Jon sighed prying her from his neck. Ada stood straightening her dress removing any sign that tears had fell from her eyes. She turned her back on him.  
"Yet I thought we fit so perfectly" she mumbled "Why are you here Jon"

"I got you something. I got Arya one too. Since I won't be around I thought you may need a proper weapon to protect yourself. Bows take to long to load." Jon pulled the sword out from his belt. It was long yet thin, heavy yet easy to manoeuvre. Ada took it in her hands balancing it making sure it suited her. She looked up at Jon.

"Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck once again allowing herself to slip under his sweet spell. His lips were soon attacking hers, guiding her hand to the bulge in his crotch area. She began to rub it, dying for him to stay. Then it hit her. They were to be parted. Never to see each other.

Ada took one last look at Winterfell her heart sinking as she waved to the place that she had known as home. In the pit of her stomach she could feel dread. Winter was indeed coming.


	3. Chapter 3

"Bran will be fine Arya. I promise. Do not worry so much, he has your mother and he has Robb. He'll wake up and before you know it he'll be on top of the roof." Ada said comforting her younger cousin after the news reached them of Bran's accident.

"I'm not worried." Arya stated sternly, but her face gave a different impression. In her grey eyes Ada could see the worry spilling out of Arya's eyes. Ada looked at the sun lowering in the sky, and felt the bitter cold of the wind.

"Come on little one, time for bed" Ada said bringing Arya in close to her "If you hurry, you can show me the gift Jon got you. And I'll show you mine"

At the idea of being able to show her sword to someone Arya begin to run upstairs towards the girls room for the night. Ada looked at the young girl and how much she was becoming like her. It wouldn't be long before she was complaining about how females weren't allowed to fight. Ada held her dress as she climbed the stairs and entered her room, making sure to close the door behind her. Arya was already perched on the bed her sword in hand. Ada walked over to her trunk and removed her own sword. Ada's was significantly bigger than Arya's and a lot heavier by the looks of it.

"What did you name it" Arya asked whilst inspecting Ada's sword.

"I haven't yet. The first thing I slay with it, or person for that matter, will be remembered by becoming the name of the weapon that killed them. And what may I ask is the name of yours?"

Arya looked at Ada, that mischievous grin on her face "Needle."

Both girls burst into fits of laughter, both of them having hated Septa's sewing lessons found the irony in Ayra's statement

Ada was the first to sober "Do you know how to use it Arya? Do you know how to use it correctly, having a sword is as about as useful as having a needle if you don't know how to use it"

Arya's head sank as she shook her head.

"I'll teach you."

"You promised! You promised you'd teach me everyday" Arya huffed as her older cousin sat in front of the mirror braiding her hair

"I will. But this morning I need to court Sansa and Joffery. It can affect a girls reputation to be alone in the company of a male for an extended period of time" Ada stated calmly before standing up and smoothing over her dress. She glanced over at the younger girl. When had she become so like her? She sat down next to her holding her hand in hers "I'll practice with you tonight but for now I'll arrange for the butcher boy and you to practice. Now run along before your father has a fit"

Arya smiled hugging into her cousin. Her cousin that was more like a sister than Sansa was. Arya bounded out the room. Ada stared around the empty unfamiliar room. Her mind wondered back to Winterfell and how long she would be gone from the place so dear to her heart. She loved everything about the North. The bitter cold in the morning, the almost constant snowfall, the cheerful chants of the locals. And Jon. Her one true companion. They were the same age, neither knowing about one of their parents. That's why they'd bonded so well, why they'd been so close and why they'd fallen in love. Or at least so she thought. But here she was, and where was he? At The Wall, promising never to love a woman. They may not have shared a bed but Ada truly believed that one day they would under the approval of the old and new gods.

"You're sitting here day dreaming when I'm meant be meeting the Prince. It is not proper to keep royalty waiting. Maybe you'd be aware of that if you showed up to any of Septa's lessons" Sansa whined dragging Ada out of her day dream.  
Ada stood up staring at her little cousin who's face she so eagerly wanted to slap, "I believed it was also bad manners to enter a room without knocking cousin"

Ada pushed past her cousin marching through the door, pausing momentarily when she noticed her cousin wasn't following "Well… are you or are you not in a rush to meet the mighty prince himself?" sarcasm ran through Ada's words.

Sansa pushed past Ada rolling her eyes, "Learn to walk like a lady Ada"

Today was going to be a long day.

Ada counted the clouds in the sky for the tenth time that afternoon as Sansa and Joffery continued their pointless babble. The Prince, if you could call him that, seemed like a arse and quite frankly a bit of girl to Ada. She bet that she could beat him in a sword fight any day, it looked like he'd never even so much as lifted a wine goblet to his mouth without assistance.

"Ada, the Prince is addressing you" Sansa hissed pulling Ada from her daydreams of drawing blood from the slimly Prince.

"Pardon, Your Grace, my mind tends to wonder when around such fascinating company. What is it I can do for you?" Ada said her voice mockingly sweet. She would never hear the end of the lecture from Uncle Ned if she upset King Robert's son.

"I was wondering how a bastard daughter like you feels to be in the company of royalty?" Prince Joffery sneered, waiting on Ada to burst into tears

"Well, Your Grace, one could only hope for better company with the Village Idiot. Lucky for me I'm with both. " Ada said smiling sweetly at the Prince, who's face appeared shocked.

"Did you just insult the Prince" Joffery demanded.

"It would appear as if I have. Although the village idiot comment could have been meant for my darling cousin. How noble of you to claim it in order to spare her feelings. Now if you don't mind this courtship is about you and Sansa. I am here simply as a guardian. Please continue…. Your Grace."

"Another word from you and I'll have your head on my wall, bastard" Prince Joffery snarled

Ada smiled sweetly, silently thinking that the Prince could barely lift a needle never mind a sword. However Ada stepped back further allowing Sansa to regain her composure before sparking up a conversation with Joffery about her sewing work or some other pointless point. The trio ventured further into the wood. My ears perked as I heard grunting and the banging of objects hitting together. There was no doubt there was some form of fight going on.

"My Grace, Sansa, we should turn back. It is my duty to keep you safe" Ada said alarmed by the closeness of the noises.

"I am your Prince, you cannot command me. We shall continue." Joffery said staring at Ada, his eyes wild. He turned to Sansa "Don't worry my Lady, I shall protect you."

Sansa followed blindly behind the Prince, Ada stood frozen deciding the best course of action, unsure if she should run back and seek help, or follow the pair and do whatever she could to defend them. In the end she opted for running back for help.

The Queen killed Lady. For a crime she didn't commit. If this was what Kings Landing was like Ada didn't want to be there. She didn't want to be involved in the politics of this corrupt family. She fingered her sword, imagining slicing Joffery's throat with it. It was then she heard Arya's nimble footsteps climbing the stairs. She opened the door allowing Arya to fall into her arms, weeping.

"The killed her. They killed her. And it's all Sana's fault. She lied. She lied. She knew what happened and she said she did not…" Arya sobbed, her tears soaking the chest of Ada's dress.

"There, there, child" Ada said stroking her hair "We do not allow our enemies to bring us to tears. We plot revenge. As for Sansa, my dear, she is betrothed to Joffery. She was left very little choice. Now come. Bed for you."

Ada sat smoothing the hair of her cousin, shushing her to sleep; all the while she was imagining wrapping her fingers round the bitch Cersiri's neck.


	4. Sorry

**I am soooooooo sorry. Had writers block, and now I face the life runier that is uni. Could really do with some reviews, maybe even telling me how you would like the story to go. **

**Yours Always. **


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